Washpipe

ABSTRACT

A washpipe includes a tubular member; a recess extending axially along the tubular member; a conductor positioned within the recess; and a communication configuration communicatively attached to the conductor.

BACKGROUND

In the hydrocarbon recovery industry, tubular members are disposed in awellbore to take such actions as drill the borehole, stimulate theborehole, produce borehole fluids, etc. Such tubulars are frequently runinto the earth formation for many thousands of feet. On occasion,tubular components are left in the well for a variety of reasons andrequire a washpipe at the end of another string to retrieve them. Mostcommonly, this occurs in the fishing end of the business to retrieve atubular that has broken off in the downhole environment. Often, washoverpipes include an abrasive or cutting feature of surface at a leadingedge thereof to cut away a portion of the fish to enable the washover.Because the fish is likely to ride against an inside dimension surfaceof the washover tube, information gainable by sensors at the end of thewashpipe cannot be sent uphole by any conductor within the washoverpipe. Heretofore then, sensorial information has not been available forwashpipe operations.

SUMMARY

A washpipe includes a tubular member; a recess extending axially alongthe tubular member; a conductor positioned within the recess; and acommunication configuration communicatively attached to the conductor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alikein the several Figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of a washpipe as taught herein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the recess of the washpipe illustrated inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an alternative recess configuration;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of another alternative recess configuration;and

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section of a washpipe as taught hereinillustrating the conductor and communication configuration attachedthereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a communication washpipe 10 is illustrated in anaxial cross-section. The illustration makes clear that in a tubularmember 12, which may be a metal or composite material, for example, anelongate recess 14 is provided to accommodate a conductor 16 therein.The depth of the recess 14 is selectable related to the duty intendedfor the washpipe but in one embodiment where significant protection ofthe conductor 16 is desired, the recess 14 will be of greater depth thana dimension of the conductor 16 oriented radially to the washpipe 10. Byconfiguring the recess with such depth, the conductor 16 is completelyenveloped in the recess 14. In one embodiment, the recess depth is lessthan about one-half of the thickness of a wall of the tubular member 12.

The recess 14 may be configured to have dimensions orthogonal to theradial dimension that are different based upon the radial locus at whichthe orthogonal measurement is taken, see FIG. 2, which appearstrapezoidal in cross-section. For example, in one embodiment, a deepestsurface 20 of the recess 14 is of greater orthogonal dimension than anorthogonally taken dimension of the recess 14 at an opening 22 thereof.Alternatively, the recess may be a simplified straight cut groove, seeFIG. 3. Yet still, the recess 14 may be configured to approximate theoutside geometry (in cross-section) of the conductor 16, see FIG. 4. Itis to be understood that the exemplary configurations illustrated inFIGS. 2-4 are just that and are not intended to limit the application.Rather, other configurations could be substituted as desired or requiredfor particular applications.

In one embodiment, the recess 14 is further filled with a protectivecomposition 18 after insertion of the conductor. Such composition may bea hardenable material such as epoxy or may be other materials asappropriate to the application to which the washpipe is to be put. Thecomposition 18 functions to protect the conductor 16 from environmentalconditions be they mechanical, chemical, etc. and further in some cases,assists in retaining the conductor 16 in the recess 14 during use of thewashpipe 10.

Both the recess 14 and the composition 18 function to protect theconductor especially from portions of downhole fishes that are notaxially aligned in the wellbore and thus must be milled off to wash overthem. As one of skill in the art will quickly recognize, a conductorpositioned on an inside diameter of the washpipe, could be damaged bysuch fish. With a washpipe as taught herein, however, the conductor isat significantly less risk. This allows for the use of the conductor andtherefore sensor(s) (not shown) that are helpful regarding conditionsexperienced by the washpipe downhole.

The conductor 16 may be an electrical conductor, optical conductor orhydraulic conductor, for example. The conductor is communicativelyattached to a communication configuration 24 (see FIG. 5) at least oneend of the washpipe 10 and in the illustration at both ends of thewashpipe 10. In one embodiment utilizing an electrical conductor, it iscontemplated that the conductor be electrically interconnected with acoil (communication configuration) at least one end of the washpipe 10for inductive connection to another conductor such as a wired pipeconfiguration.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modificationsand substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that thepresent invention has been described by way of illustrations and notlimitation.

1. A washpipe comprising: a tubular member; a recess extending axiallyalong the tubular member; a conductor positioned within the recess; anda communication configuration communicatively attached to the conductor.2. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubular member ismetal.
 3. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubular memberis composite material.
 4. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein therecess is defined by a depth having a dimension about the same as aradial dimension of the conductor.
 5. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1wherein the recess is defined by a depth less than about one half thethickness of a wall thickness of the tubular member.
 6. The washpipe asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the recess is trapezoidal in cross section.7. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the recess is configuredto approximate a cross sectional shape of the conductor.
 8. The washpipeas claimed in claim 1 wherein the recess is straight cut groove.
 9. Thewashpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the recess is filled with ahardenable composition protective of the conductor.
 10. The washpipe asclaimed in claim 9 wherein the hardenable composition is epoxy.
 11. Thewashpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conductor is an opticalconductor.
 12. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conductoris a hydraulic conductor.
 13. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe conductor is an electrical conductor.
 14. The washpipe as claimed inclaim 13 wherein the conductor further includes a communicationconfiguration.
 15. The washpipe as claimed in claim 14 wherein thecommunication configuration is a coil.
 16. The washpipe as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the recess is in fluidic communication with a surface ofthe tubular member via a radial opening.
 17. The washpipe as claimed inclaim 16 wherein the surface is a radially inwardly facing surface. 18.The washpipe as claimed in claim 16 wherein the radial opening spans alongitudinal dimension of the tubular member.
 19. The washpipe asclaimed in claim 16 wherein the conductor is positionable into therecess via the radial opening.
 20. The washpipe as claimed in claim 1wherein the recess is devoid of any solid material prior to theconductor being positioned within the recess.